ed note–a year ago when the ‘Arab spring’ was beginning, one of the things we here at TUT pointed out was the fact that it is the demographics in the Middle East–specifically that half the population is under the age of 25–that has Israel and the West the most worried. Young people embrace young ideas espoused by young leaders. That being the case, as far as Israel and the West are concerned–ALL THE ‘OLD-TIMERS’ have to go in order to satisfy that ‘biological need’ on the part of these young people. Therefore, those who are looking at Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain and other places and noting that the West is not assisting in ‘regime change’ there as they did in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and now–Syria–remember this–IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME.
Basindwa’s appointment came in the wake of a GCC-brokered transfer deal which would have Hadi supported “unanimously” in his position, while allowing an opposition figure to take the position of prime minister. Basindwa will now have to try to form a “unity” cabinet.
The move was applauded internationally, but has been criticized by protesters because it allows Saleh to escape prosecution. The deal also doesn’t assure major changes to the existing political system, raising the prospect that Hadi will simply replace Saleh as “dictator for life.”
